Utopian Reformist

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Posts by Utopian Reformist

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  15

  WELL WORTH READING: JW's + 144,000

  by stevieb1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  found this material on an yahoo egroups site on greek theology on which quite a number of witness apologists contribute.

  there is quite a bit of interesting stuff on here, but here is a worthwhile comment made on the 144,000 as they relate to the "fds class" and jw's since 1879. establishes from purely mathematical point of view that the 144,000 cannot be a literal but figurative.

  quote:.

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  Utopian Reformist

  Very interesting viewpoint RR. I don't have my Bible today, but I will re-read the chapters pertaining to this discussion. So far, I tend to agree with most of what you have stated.

  I tend to agree that since so few have actually "finished" the heavenly race, then the delay in Christ's coming is obvious. However, I have traditionally leaned more towards the belief that the 144,000 were sealed along time ago, or it was just a symbol.

  It has always perplexed me that an intelligent creator would place two spheres of existence before his creatures, both in separate realms or dimensions.

  Anyway, i will get back to you on this one. PAX VOBISCUM AMICUS NOVUS!
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  536

  LET'S MAKE A LITTLE WAGER

  by You Know in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  perhaps you recall the instance in the bible where samson made a wager with the philistines that they couldnt guess his riddle.

  as it turned out they wheedled the answer out of him by his fiancee, but the point is that they had a wager.

  since the underlying assumption of the apostasy is that we are not living in the last days of this system of things, and that this world is not facing anything remotely like the biblical apocalypse, at least not any time soon, in the spirit of such antagonism, i would like to propose a similar wager.

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  Utopian Reformist

  JBEAR:

  Speaking of resurrections, click here:

  http://www.gabocorp.com/

  Remember to have your speakers on first! Enjoy!
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  536

  LET'S MAKE A LITTLE WAGER

  by You Know in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  perhaps you recall the instance in the bible where samson made a wager with the philistines that they couldnt guess his riddle.

  as it turned out they wheedled the answer out of him by his fiancee, but the point is that they had a wager.

  since the underlying assumption of the apostasy is that we are not living in the last days of this system of things, and that this world is not facing anything remotely like the biblical apocalypse, at least not any time soon, in the spirit of such antagonism, i would like to propose a similar wager.

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  Utopian Reformist

  To be quite honest and visibly opportunistic, I am also taking advantage of the recent economic events in order to purchase a larger home.

  Since rates have continued to decrease and I am no longer in any debt (other than monthly utilities and current mortgage) I stand to gain a much better bargain.

  Once my purchase is locked, I won't be concerned about the daily rising and falling. In fact, I plan to purchase 1000 shares of NOVELL in the interim.

  It is an unfortunate characteristic of "doomsday paranoia" sufferers to panic at the mere mention of any quasi-catastrophic event in the media.

  In an effort to continue drawing parallels and allegories between "interpreted prophecy" and real-life events, they often become absorbed in minutiae.

  Like a "thief in the night" means exactly what it says; like a thief in the night. If and when it would ever happen, the world would never know what hit it, including the fundamentalist religious fanatics, like JW's.

  If God exists and is planning his intervention or waiting for the appointed time, we are all on our very own, indeed!
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  501

  UNITED NATIONS , NGO's and WTBS

  by MacHislopp in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  following the link given by kent,.

  i have several observation to make:.

  (from the link : http://www.un.org/moreinfo/ngolink/brochure.htm).

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  Utopian Reformist

  Hey Troubled:

  Greetings! You raised some obvious questions. Are the CURRENT NGO-DPI application requirements the SAME as they were in 1991 when the WTBS applied?

  Only the UN can truthfully answer this, however, bear in mind that most organizations (for business, for government, or non-profit) do NOT "re-invent the wheel" and create new policies and procedures of operation simply because they are launching a web-site.

  On the contrary, web developers are continually challenged to find ways to display and deliver an organization's current message and services in the web design process. What may change is the manner of delivery, the method of delivery, but the message and core content is usually the same.
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  60

  Ridiculous trips to the 'back room'

  by Esmeralda in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the posts in the elders meeting thread got me thinking about this, so i've spun it off for into another thread.. were you ever 'counseled' because "some" in the congregation were disturbed by things you said/did/listened to/watched?.

  here is just some of the stupid stuff that the elders brought me in on.

  though they were usually handled through shepherding calls, not in the back room at the kh.. 1: because i decided to change my first and middle names.

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  Utopian Reformist

  I was counseled several times in the late 80's about "shaving my head" and "weightlifing".

  It seems the weightlifitng and strict dieting was offending some of the friends who equated my education, outspoken manner, and physical fitness with having a "bad unchristian attitude".

  I was told by an elder (whom I still love dearly) that my grooming was radical and did not appear religious.

  So, here I am, college graduate, decorated combat veteran, former prison inmate, avid health nut, serving in an "inner city" urban congregation, where I am the only person of mediterranean origin and yet I am making eveyone else uncomfortable.

  I distinctly remember elder's children wearing "baggy and droopy" clothing and dancing much more provocatively than children in less integrated congregations. I remember the extra tight dresses and skirts worn in those congregations that pulled your eyes like a 1 million volt powered magnet. If you fancy women of color (as I do) this hall would have been the "Yo MTV Raps" of the circuit.

  Anyway, there was far too much activity occurring for me or my shaved head to be any sort of a distraction. Besides, in the summer I tan so dark that I am always asked if I am Cuban or Puerto Rican anyway.
  I saw many men of color in the "truth" with clean shaven heads. It was a double standard directed at me personally.
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  30

  Counting Time... Is It Part Of The Rot?

  by ballistic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how many here have pioneered?.

  be honest, what was predominantly on your mind, telling people this wonderfull good news or was it counting time?.

  an elder once said to me, "you know, it's strange how when pioneers quit pioneering, they're hours don't stay the same, they don't gradually diminish and they don't even drop by half... they drop practically to nothing.".

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  Utopian Reformist

  Hey Farkel:

  I lived in San Clemente at the other end of Camp Pendleton and the El Camino Real. I used to spend my evenings at Dana Point and at the San Clemente Pier.

  I remember many a Saturday in Oceanside and at Carlsbad and Vista. I miss Orange County quite a bit. I later moved to Webb Way off of Malibu Road in Malibu, right across from the Colony and Pepperdine U.

  I went to school at Pomona College in Pomona and then after graduation I moved back east. I was offered an engineering position at Cal Edison back then, but I turned it down. After coming back east, I was brainwashed by the borg. Perhaps, I should have stayed in LA after all.

  I miss the beach cities the most. I still think about Seal, Manhattan, Torrance, Redondo, Huntington, Laguna Niguel, Laguna, San Onofre, etc... The Beach Boys were right..California Girls!
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  9

  Manifest Destiny

  by teejay in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  bin laden is believed to be hiding in afghanistan, communicating his hatred for the united states in a series of fatwas, or religious edicts, faxed to the outside world.. he says american soldiers stationed in his homeland are desecrating muslim holy sites by their very presence and that the united states has turned arab countries into client states tolerant of what he sees as the united states' lopsided support for israel.. "we -- with god's help -- call on every muslim who believes in god and wishes to be rewarded to comply with god's order to kill the americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it," read a fatwa issued in february.. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

  many are appalled that one as universally demonized as osama bin laden really believes that he has god's backing.

  "god is not on the side of evil, of barbarism, of the brutal massacre of innocents," they say.

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  Utopian Reformist

  VERY APPROPRIATE!
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  42

  Education idiot!

  by FrightMare in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if most of you were jw's at one time, am i right in assuming that most of you are uneducated?

  anyone here actually have a degree of some sort?

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  Utopian Reformist

  Thank you Tierce!

  "intelligentsia est gaudium!"
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  1

  Black Muslims >< JW apostate?

  by Nathan Natas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  blondies informative post under the "peaceful muslims" thread prompts me to ask - i recall hearing some time ago that the basic teachings of the black muslims were formulated by some former jw, that the koran was not the basis for the black muslim faith... .

  can anyone shed some light on this?

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  Utopian Reformist

  Hi Nathan:

  Check out the history section in these two links:

  http://www.noi.org/ and then check out: http://www.blackpanther.org/

  You will find more accurate information and historical evidence than personal viewpoints.
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  19

  Martial arts training

  by joelbear in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been considering taking some self defense training for some time and with recent events this has moved up on my priority scale.. any suggestions on which type of martial arts would be best for a complete beginner.

  i have never been in a fight in my life, have always talked my way out of trouble in the past.

  but think its time to prepare myself for more.. thanks.

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  Utopian Reformist

  All right. I knew we would end up providing Joel a plethora of advice about styles and details from our own experiences.

  I wanted to give generic sound advice without personal bias, but since everyone else has, I will too!

  Joel:

  Despite the fancy pictures and famous names of people currently on top in the "fighting arts" business and entertainment world, you are still stuck with your current physcial conditioning. You must start there or you will certainly fail as a student.

  Begin strengthening your body and building stamina and endurance. Combine stretching with cardiovascular and aerobic exercise along with weightlifting. Once your body is conditioned and strong, you will obtain much more benefit from any combination of styles mentioned in this thread.

  Someone mentioned "Filipino Escrima" which is awesome. When I was 18 and a young Marine stationed in CA, my 16 year-old girlfriend was studying at Mr "I's" school. When I visited the school, I could not believe Mr "I" was the actual Dan Inosanto. While I only shook his hand once and obtained an autographed picture, I do remember the vivid demonstrations of street fighting, stick fighting and knife fighting.

  Another great resource is the "Jeet Kune Do" concept school. The JKD concept schools are in many cities. They mix JKD (Bruce Lee's personal invention called Way of the Intercepting Fist) with Jiu-Jitsu and Escrima and Thai Boxing. That may be a good all-around mixture.

  While boxing does not help in a crowd, it is a good training tool. One of the many reasons women FAIL at self-defense is because many have never been PUNCHED full force in the face. The shock of a facial blow, along with the natural reaction of tears and distraction with dismay, provide enough timing for an attacker to launch a second perhaps third assault.

  Wrestling ability is also important. Someone mentioned most fights wind up on the ground. I have seen that to be true in my life. It is important to have the ability and strength to grasp, grapple, hold, lock, and even break an opponent's limb. Aikido, Hapkido; Gojy Ryu; especially Jiu Jitsu provide excellent training in this area.

  Don't forget Nathan's advice about firearms. A fellow Marine I served with runs a firearms training school in CA:

  Here is the link: http://www.tftt.com/ (Max and I served together in Bravo Company 1st Force Recon Camp Pendleton, CA in the early 80's)

  You really need determine your goals, what resources you can use and how much you want this to affect your daily routine in life. It's serious. It still is for me.